What makes Virat Kohli a legend of the game

The name Virat Kohli evokes admiration, respect, and joy in the hearts and minds of millions of cricket fans around the world. He has created an aura of machoism combined with stupendous performance year after year. Today I would dissect all the attributes which make him a legend of the game.

The first and foremost attribute is clearly his aggression. From the time, he made his debut in international cricket, this has been his forte. He has never shied away from showing belligerence on the field, even after becoming Indian captain.

"My aggression is my plus point. It's because of my aggression that I have been able to perform so well on the field until now. I don't think I need to try bringing the level down. I agree, sometimes I do cross the line. I think I need to take care of that," he said.

In a panel discussion on Aaj Tak cricket conclave, Kapil Dev said, “Virat reminds me of McEnroe. He is always up to some mischief. There are people who take panga and take their game to the next level. He is one of those. McEnroe always loved to fight with the umpires. Another example is Javed. He always loved taking panga.”

His technique has evolved over the years. He has now become a well-rounded batsman who can play shots at sharp angles to pierce the field. He generates tremendous bat speed and has exquisite timing. He can punch the ball, loft it for a six and also sweep it behind the wickets for four. The range is just growing with time.

Javed Miandad compliments Kohli by saying, “To me, the mark of a great batsman like Kohli is the fact that he can vary his technique by quickly adjusting to the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition bowlers. This makes Kohli a genius who is the best batsman in the world.”

Gavaskar once said, "temperament separates men from boys". Kohli wants to win every match and at any cost. He loves to take up the challenge and leads from the front. He takes bold decisions on the field - related to bowling changes, field placement, playing XI etc. He seems unperturbed by the tremendous amount of pressure he faces. Gavaskar opined, “To become a good player, you need talent. To become a great player, you need an attitude like Kohli.”

Finally, his ability to score runs under any weather condition, pitch condition and match condition make him stand out from his contemporaries. He has proved it by scoring runs and winning matches for India, a lot of times.

Legends Speak:

Love watching Virat Kohli bat. I love his aggression and serious passion that I used to have. He reminds me of myself - Viv Richards

"He is just an unbelievable batsman! No need to say anymore" - Brian Lara

"Virat is one of the world’s greatest batsmen, combining an unmatched ability to dispatch the ball with pin-point accuracy with exceptional running between the wickets" - AB de Villiers

Virat is a rare talent. I was fortunate to be part of that process of seeing him grow and that gives me immense pleasure - Gary Kristen